Mean people suck

There's nothing like an innocent early morning jaunt on the boardwalk to teach my kids about the cruel harsh world.

Okay, so it was really a couple of idiots working at a bike rental shop with less teeth than Margot that renewed my lack of faith in humanity.

We'd spent the first part of the morning watching the not-so-romantic "oh my god why are you little rascals awake right now" sunrise and walking through the waves on the beach when I decided to pass a little more time by checking out the rental bikes.

And while we were examining the various contraptions that you can rent for a ridiculous amount of money to ride up and down a long stretch of what might be the largest saturation of hairspray, fake nails, and airbrushing, Drew decided to put his precious plastic Lightning McQueen car down in the middle of the bike thoroughfare. But considering it was still practically o' dark thirty, it wasn't that busy.

Well, until one of the aforementioned idiots needed to return a low-rider 3-wheeled bike.

The guy told Drew to grab his car, but he was too scared to jump out in front of the moving bike. And having Margot stuffed into a BabyHawk carrier, I couldn't reach down and grab it as quickly as I needed to.

So instead of hitting the brakes, or reaching down to pick it up as he drove by, the guy just ran right over the toy.

There was a loud crunch, followed by a duet of screams unlike anything I've ever heard.

However, I was too focused on the idiots laughing it up in the back of the shop, to even try to console my kids.

Yes, they were laughing.

I'm not even sure what I said to them, and the other guy working there who was standing and staring at my kids as they picked up the pieces of the car.

I yelled to the back of the shop as they sat there, obviously hiding, but too small balled to come out and apologize and offer them something in return.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves" I said, grasping for words that didn't start with "F." "You couldn't wait two more seconds so that he could pick it up?" I asked, completely shocked at the blatant disregard for their feelings.

I walked away with the kids to collect myself, and attempt to explain why someone would do what I've spent years trying to teach them.

But it was like talking to a couple of screaming monkeys. 

"Waaaaaah my car waaaaaah his car waaaaaah we'll never ever have a car ever again waaaaaah!"

And so I figured, why not use it to my advantage and so I dragged my kids back to the shop, continuing on like I hadn't left, demanding money for the car, and pointing my finger at the woman in charge of the rental agreements.

She asked them what had happened because she hadn't seen it. Whatever.I told her "They ran over his car on purpose."

After I stood there for a few more minutes, my kids still loudly mourning the loss of the car, she barely apologized and handed me money. 

"Why would he do that?" Quinlan kept saying through her tears. 

I really didn't know what to tell her. I was too choked up, part of my heart crushed like the toy car. It's the side of humanity you never really want your kids to see.

"Sometimes people are just mean," I told her. "But that doesn't mean we have to sit around and take it."

Now I just have to figure out how to teach her to let out the air on 50 some odd bike tires.

Comments

[eek]

um, you admittedly let your kid wander in to the "bike thoroughfare." i would be thanking my lucky stars that my reckless disregard for bike path etiquette and my son's personal safety didn't get HIM run over rather than complaining about his toy!

[TL]

You expected better in New Jersey and a tourist trap to boot! Not that TExas is much better! I worked for a boss is like that with adults---- KARMA is all I can say! :-)

[Nick]

Is it really that big a deal? Was this kid's toy really expensive? If not, no big deal. You obviously had the right to demand some compensation, but since you got the money, does it matter? How do you know your kid won't grow up and do the exact same thing to somebody else? The guy was kind of a jerk. That's all. It's not a big deal. Just relax.

[Ken]

I couldn't agree more with the previous posts about those cackling bastards but I have to wonder:
If that guy would do such a thing to a child IN FULL VIEW OF EVERYONE, what is he capable of doing when nobody is looking?

I visited this blog first time and found it very interesting and informative.. Keep up the good work thanks..

[Shannon]

I hope he gets the most awesome new Lightning Mcqueen ever. AND you post the name of the shop. It's not like you had to leave your name to get the money. Asshats.
Post. They deserve whatever abuse the internets can hand out.

[Karen (Submommy)]

Too bad kid scissors aren't pointier. Then she could REALLY go to town on those bike tires.

What a couple of pricks.

I think you absolutely did the right thing asking for your money. And I would have let the dickwads see the aftermath, then sent the children out while I ripped them a new one. F-word and all.

[GirlsGoneChild]

OH MY GOD, Kristen. I would have cried, too. So sorry you had to deal with such asshats. Love.

[Jane]

There are some truly mean people out there. The ones who have NO contact with kids of any kind, had their own rotten childhood, having no way to be nice to their fellow humans. You handled it quite beautifully, nice work! We try to teach our kids how there are no bad people, only people who do bad things. It makes it even harder to teach when there are A-holes like that out there.

[Lindsay]

Yikes, sounds like you handled the situation really well. Sorry this happened.
Those people probably didn't have a great mom like you.

[Haley-O]

That is so UGLY! I feel so bad just reading this. Makes ME all choked up that someone would just crush a child's toy - knowing what toys mean to children. It's pretty darn SICK. Glad you got money - but sorry you and the kids didn't get an apology or something to help take the emotional sting of the event away.

[Amara]

that is fucking hilarious.

[Christy]

Is there anywhere to get a kiddie switchblade? It will come in super handy for slashing bike tires.

Mean people do suck. I'm so sorry your kiddos had to witness it so early in their lives!

[Incognito Mom]

Good for you for making them pay you for the car. I'm usually non-aggressive but if someone did that to my kid I probably would have grabbed him from the bike and punched him. (Probably not the best example for a child to witness but the jerk would have deserved it.)

I agree with all the people who think you should post the name of the rental ... I grew up in Jersey and only moved from there a few years ago, I'm embarrassed that you had to experience this at the Jersey shore. In spite of our reputation most people from Jersey are not a**holes like those pricks.

[Beauty, the Blogging Dog]

Good thing you stood up for your kids! That would teach them to be assertive later in life.

[Dorene]

Ah, yes. I'll be at the Jersey shore in about a month. This was a reminder of what I have to expect.

If this happened to me I'm pretty sure I would be so mad I'd be vibrating. I have trouble maintaining composure in those situations.

[Theresa]

Man it sucks having to teach your kids that some people are just stupid mean...

[Erica]

What good is being a celebrity blogger if you don't use your powers to smite the unjust? C'mon, share the name of the rental place!

[korn]

try to do.
just do it.

[Amanda]

There's no words for what those people are. I'd have a hard time not running over one of them with my car if I saw them out on a bike later.

[viola]

Unbelievable. that they should do this to a little and with another kid watching. Ireally feel for you

[Scatteredmom]

I'm not sure I would have had the restraint you did. I probably not only would have swore at them, but took a picture and posted it, along with the name of the business.

What complete and utter JERKS.

[Jane]

What a bunch of assholes! Good for you for demanding payment! Great lesson for your kids, even if Lightning had to pay the price.

[blooot]

"long stretch of what might be the largest saturation of hairspray, fake nails, and airbrushing"....you must be at the Jersey Shore. Cause I grew up in Point Pleasant, and this pretty much nails my entire childhood on the head.

[Julie @ The Mom Slant]

Dude. That makes me so freaking angry I can hardly see straight. That is NOT how cyclists behave.

Seriously. Let's hear the name of that place. They were deliberately cruel to your children; they don't deserve any protection.

[Kate]

I go to the Jersey shore often. Please post the name of this heinous bike rental shack so I can go there in the dead of night and rub tuna fish oil into every one of the bike seats.

[Katie]

I think you must UNLEASH THE HOUNDS.... of the internet... and post their name and address... and see what we can do.

[Angela]

Poor Drew. I'm sorry that he and Quinlan had to learn such a sucky lesson so early in life. You did the right thing by going back. Grrrrr. That makes me so angry for you.

[Amelia Sprout]

In cases like those, I suggest insulting their manhood. Only someone with small pecker would run over a kid's toy. For added emphasis just grab their balls and THEN comment on how small they are.

[kirida]

Good for you for not dropping the f-bombs on those asshats. I was angry just reading how callous they were.

[Mandi]

Oh. My. God. I am seriously near tears here. I have a two year old, also obsessed with McQueen and my heart goes out to your kids. I cannot believe that someone could be that mean to children, and in a vacation spot! See that you vacation somewhere else next year and send them a postcard of your new Mcqueen on a different beach!

[ClassyFabSarah]

Assholes. Seriously, there is no better way to say it. Assholes.

[Naomi]

Awesome customer service, jerkwads. Bleh.

[Christina]

I'm generally not someone who loses her cool, but since having kids I'm very protective and willing to fight where they are concerned.

Kudos to you for the restraint. I'm not sure I could have escaped without the F word, or at least a mention of how small their dicks must be to think they're cool making children cry.

[jnet]

i hate mean people and i can only hope in the future when i have kids that i can refrain from using bad words in front of my kids when my blood is boiling and said mean person clearly deserve some verbal abuse. ugh.

[Mother Goose]

I still cannot believe this happened to you...oh wait, yes I can. This is why sometimes I think I hate people. I don't, of course, but the worst ones seem to get all the attention. I'm so sorry. I bet your heart was beating right out of your chest! Bonus points for avoiding the F word. I would not have managed. Here's hoping the day got better from there!!!

[Jessica]

That is just sad, I would of taken that person and put them over my knee, LOL! What a good example of what you don't want you kids to be like, you did a fabulous job of handing that and man kudos to you!

[Pamela]

OMG. What a sad situation. You totally did the right thing, though -- demand remuneration for injustices!

[Amy]

My heart is broken that your babies were taught about the cruel world by some Jersey-boy pricks. You held your tounge better than I did just reading about it (luckily my son is pretending to nap in the other room). But you went back and stuck up for them, and THAT'S what your kids will remember.

They are lucky to have you as their mom. ;)

........stupid sons of bitches mofuckers pencil dicks......
(in case you wanted to go back later and needed some, um, conversation starters. I like pencil dick. That usually gets everyone's attention!)

[Kay]

Ditto.

[Amber Mc]

WTF?!
My son is going to hear this line many times in his life: "Life lesson son, this is what not to do!"

[Aljolynn]

Incredibly inhumane. I'm so sorry to hear that you had to deal with such insensitivity (that word doesn't do the situation justice), especially with three little ones in tow.
It seems as though you handled it with grace, so congrats.
Most of all kudos for standing up for yourself and your children.
Here's hoping the rest of the day is better than how it started.

[@sweetbabboo]

Are you f&*%ing kidding me? The nerve... I'm surprised you were able to show that much restraint. I don't know if I could have.

-Abby

[amber]

I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I had something similar happen not to long ago and it's nearly impossible to keep your cool. Good for you for making them pay and not just walking away. It's such a shame that our children have to learn about the assholes of the world so young. But what goes around comes around so they'll get what they deserve. :)

[Nickie]

The nerve *&^%$!

I'd probably not have been able to restrain the F words... or my temper. You did great. Way to not let them get away with it! And I'm all for letting the air out of the tires...hehe

[TheFeministBreeder]

I'd also ask that you please forgive my spelling of "sight" as "site." This is what Twitter has done to me - my spelling and grammar are out the window in favor of shorter (and wronger) words. See? "Wronger."

[IzzyMom]

There's a reason those stupid fucks work at a bike rental stand.

But good on you for making a stink. I would have done the same. As for your kids, it's hard to see them learn about cruelty long before they need to...

[TheFeministBreeder]

HAAAA haa.. best line was the last one.

I feel bad for Drew because Jonas's favorite possesions in the whole world are his Disney Cars - they're the lifeline. I get it.

If the kids were out of my site, I mighta had some naughty words and spit flying out of my mouth. Dicks.

[tela]

Oh man, my blood pressure rose 10 points reading that. Tell me where this bike place is, as I'm about to fly down there and help Quinlan and Drew with the air-letting.

And good on you for not saying the F word. I'm not sure I could've held back.

[marty]

I'm speechless. That was completely uncalled for. Little pricks.

[Sarah Bean]

Good job for restraining yourself from using words that begin with "F". A much better mama than me - depending on how far I'd have to leave my kids and if they would be in my line of sight, I would've stomped my tush over there and had a F-Fest. Mean people do suck, worst example for our kids to see. Good for you for getting some money for it and best use of words to explain the meanness to your kiddos. *Shaking head in disbelief*

[Issa]

OMG!!! People are horrible. Poor Drew and Quinlan. Dam, sometimes people just suck. Two and four year old kids shouldn't have to learn that so young in life though. Sorry Kristen.

But good for you for demanding they pay for it. They probably just expected you to leave. Jackasses.

[nic @mybottlesup]

i am raging angry for you and would've done the same exact thing. glad you went back in.

fuckers.